


Spark of Love

by pocketsquid



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Non-Sticky Sexual Interfacing, Spark Sexual Interfacing, Xeno, nothing too graphic though, sparkplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 09:04:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11204805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pocketsquid/pseuds/pocketsquid
Summary: Ever since Cade had laid eyes on Optimus Prime’s Spark, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.(A self-indulgent fluff with some mild smut. I'm deep in Barn Husbands hell and trying to hang on until The Last Knight, bear with me)





	Spark of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Note: the POV switches with each section!
> 
> Also, this takes place sometime during their travels across the country. There was no real timeline stated in the film that I could recall, and honestly it didn't seem to be that important.

 

Ever since Cade had laid eyes on Optimus Prime’s Spark, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

That beautiful blue orb had absolutely enchanted him. Long, elegant strands of pure energy and life twisted and twirled together behind his closed eyelids, haunting Cade even as he slept. He was fascinated by the idea that a completely mechanical species relied so heavily on such an organic-looking structure to function.

But the obsession was more than just wanting to know how it worked. Sure, when it came to machines, Cade always had to know more about them. But if it was just him wanting to understand how it functioned, he could have asked any of the bots - they all had a Spark, right? But it was more than that.

Cade had seen Optimus Prime’s soul, and all he wanted was to see it again.

He had a feeling that it was a private matter to discuss. Cade recalled the strong sensation of vulnerability that Optimus radiated when his Spark was exposed, and the fact that it was so protectively cradled in the bots’ chest cavity meant that it was likely rarely seen.

Unfortunately, with all the running around and fighting, there had been no privacy at all. This wasn’t all that bad, he supposed. At least this way Cade could keep an eye on Tessa and Shane. The last thing he wanted to do was leave those two alone for too long.

Despite this lack of alone time, though, Cade found himself spending more and more time with Optimus. When they were apart, Cade was wondering when they would be able to spend more time together again. Optimus was so interesting to be around, and he gave off a strong, protective… aura, almost. Cade couldn’t explain it, but he always felt safe around the big bot.

Safety wasn’t the only feeling he had, though. The more he was around Optimus, the more he realized he was attracted to the bot, in some sense. The fact that they weren’t even the same species didn’t seem to faze him one bit. His heart fluttered wildly at Optimus’ small smiles; his stomach flipped every time Optimus said his name; and, well, if Cade was honest with himself, Optimus wasnt half bad looking.

A lot of the things Cade had been feeling had been dormant for so long, he’d almost forgotten about them. And boy, were they intense.

Cade supposed it was time to admit to himself that he had quite a bit to discuss with Optimus. He decided that sometime that week, he’d at least sit with the big bot and talk to him. Aside from seeing the Spark again, Cade was intrigued by Cybertronian culture, as well as Optimus’ past, if he was comfortable with sharing it. Totally normal and safe topics of discussion. There was no need to jump into anything! Besides, Optimus could probably use a brief distraction from all the chaos happening – and Cade knew he needed the distraction as well.

 

\----- 

 

It was a rather warm evening, and Optimus took first watch, as always. The group had found a secluded area in the desert they had been trekking through for the past few days. Oddly enough, Cade had decided to stay up with him, rather than sleep early as he usually did, which was no bother. He looked like he could use the rest though.

Cade had some sort of alcoholic beverage, which seemed to ease some of the tension in his shoulders. The Prime realized belatedly that he had yet to really spend time with Cade alone. He was also late to notice that they got along surprisingly well.

They spoke of Earth’s climate, as well as Cybertron’s lack of such a thing. This seemed to drag out Cade’s thirst for knowledge and Optimus tried to describe Cybertron to the human as best as he could.

After some time, Cade had finished his beverage and a comfortable silence surrounded the two of them. Well, it was as silent as it could be, anyway - Hound’s loud, rattling vents could only be drowned out by those who were truly exhausted.

Optimus glanced up at Earth’s constellations, in the vague direction of Cybertron. For what felt like the millionth time since he landed on this planet, his spark twisted in distress and he longed for his home.

He felt Cade watching him as he vented. He looked down at the man and saw a glance of intense curiosity in those eyes, hidden under what could only be stress and exhaustion brought on by recent events. Cade’s eyes quickly glanced away when Optimus’ optics met them. A flush made its way up Cade’s neck and face and he cleared his throat. A curious reaction: one that made Optimus’ Spark flutter in its chamber.

“So, uh. Optimus,” Cade began after some time, “do you guys have, like… how do I put this,” he paused. “Significant others?”

Optimus felt his lipplates tug into a smile. “Why yes, Cade. We certainly do,” he answered, letting only the smallest amount of amusement reflect in his response. “Although it’s likely very different than how things occur with humans.”

Cade’s flush brightened a bit and he huffed out a laugh. “Oh, of course! I figured as much, y'all are aliens after all,” he said, and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. Optimus’ Spark pulsed faster in his chest at the sight, but he ignored it.

Although Optimus could not detect biological responses as his old friend Ratchet could, especially with a species who had no electromagnetic field to seek, it was very evident that Cade was nervous. Perhaps this so-called “liquid courage” did not provide so much courage, after all.

Cade seemed to gather himself, and after a few minutes he looked up at Optimus again with that burning curiosity. Optimus immediately retracted his earlier thought when the man firmly set the empty glass bottle on the ground and asked if he could see Optimus’ Spark.

A long, awkward pause followed, deepened only by the sound of Optimus’ engine stalling in shock. Cade’s eyes seemed to grow larger as Optimus’ engine struggled to turn over for a few moments.

“…was that culturally insensitive?” Cade asked quietly when the quiet hum of the engine returned.

“A bit, yes.” Optimus reset his vocalizer in a way that mimicked a human clearing their throat. He had truly been around this species for too long to pick up such a habit.

Cade covered his face with his hands and groaned. “Oh, god, I am so sorry, I had a feeling but I wasn’t sure, it’s like your alien soul or whatever, of course that’s a bit weird to ask, I cannot believe-”

“Cade-”

“Why would I ask that? I probably should just go over to my sleeping bag and go to bed. Forever. I think I’m gonna go do that. God, holy shit-”

“Cade!” Optimus interrupted him with a tone he would use to reprimand a sparkling, though he was careful to keep his voice down as not to wake the others. When Cade peeked up at him between fingers, Optimus spoke again.

“Revealing one’s Spark is incredibly intimate among Cybertronians. Something that some choose to show to a lover, and others only choose to show to one they intend to bond with for life,” Optimus explained.

Were it any other human, he wouldn’t have bothered with clarification, but Cade was different. Cade had seen his Spark a few weeks before, and he was likely just curious. No creature on earth had anything comparable to a Spark. Optimus trusted very few humans anymore, but Cade was so honest and kind that Optimus wasn’t really worried about any ulterior motives.

Cade’s hands dropped from his face, and he opened his mouth - likely to apologize again - but Optimus gave him a pointed look before he continued.

“I feel as though you knew more about that than you let on, considering that you made such a request after you asked about my species and our ‘significant others’,” Optimus said. The flush returned to Cade’s face, which made the Spark in question thrum with interest once again. Cade was far too endearing than he had any right to be, if Optimus was honest with himself.

After a few moments, Optimus surprised himself when he leaned down a bit to lay a hand next to Cade in a silent offering. Cade swallowed and looked down at the hand, and then back up at Optimus.

“Perhaps I would be willing to… indulge your curiosity,” Optimus said.

 

 -----

 

 As he clambered onto Optimus's hand, Cade took a moment to wonder just how the fuck he had managed to pull this off.

He had it all planned out, really – the exact words he was gonna say, the way he was going to say them, and of course the perfect timing was the most essential part of it all. But then he went and blurted something out at the first opportunity and embarrassed poor Optimus. Really, Cade?

At least he had said "please". Or at least he hoped he did.

Somehow Optimus was charmed by his foolishness enough to take him up on his offer. Cade wasn't about to complain, though. It was finally time to satisfy his deep-set curiosity, once and for all.

Cade hadn't noticed, as he was deep in thought, but Optimus had settled down some distance from the others and was now leaning against a huge rock. Cade was still steadily perched on Optimus' hand, and his stomach flipped at the view of the well-sculpted... robot torso in front of him. He looked up to see Optimus watching him intently. Cade felt his entire body flush and his mouth was suddenly very dry. He cleared his throat nervously.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

"Are you, uh, sure you want to do this?" Cade asked in a small voice. The blush on his face intensified.

Optimus shrugged one massive shoulder. "I'm fine with this, Cade. More than fine with it," he said with a small smile. "If it makes you uncomfortable, now that you understand the social implications behind it, we do not have to do anything."

Cade mulled it over for a moment. He was nervous, sure! How many times had he ever done anything intimate with a giant alien robot? Oh, right. Never. Hell, it had been a while since Cade was intimate with anyone at all.

But there was something about the way Optimus was looking at him, and the idea that he was trusted enough with something so personal. Not to mention the fact that he just really, _really_ wanted to see that beautiful Spark again. And, heck, maybe he was just reading this entire situation wrong and blowing it out of proportion. Optimus might just pop his chest plates open, let Cade have a peek, and that could be the end of it. It didn’t have to be ‘intimate’, right?

Cade took a deep breath, placing a hand gently on Optimus' chest and patting the warm metal. "Alright," he decided, "I'm ready when you are."

"Very well," Optimus said, that small smile growing. A hidden seam in the center of his chest slowly started to split open, and the brilliant blue glow of his Spark began to spill through.

Within moments, Cade was bathed in the blinding light of Optimus' Spark. As the protective armor moved further apart, Cade noticed a translucent, crystal-like glass surrounding the Spark protectively. He could barely make out any shape, merely the vague motion of the light as it moved and pulsed, but he was still mesmerized. Cade found that he could do little more than stare at it in awe.

"Wow," Cade whispered after a few minutes. "This is incredible." It took all of his willpower to stop himself from reaching out and touching it, yanking his hand back as he realized what he was doing.

The sound of Optimus' fans turning on startled Cade out of his trance. It was then that he noticed the heat pouring out of Optimus' vents. The humid air around them was easily comparable to a Texan heat wave. Cade's clothes were beyond soaked in sweat by this point, sticking to him unpleasantly. Maybe later he’d worry about his clothes. For now he was far too excited to really care about his own discomfort.   

He dared to look up at Optimus' face, and shivers ran down his spine at the intense hunger in the blue optics. Interesting.  Apparently he had understood the situation correctly to start with – he was about to fondle a giant robot, and he was completely on board with it if Optimus was.

He took a steadying breath and asked, "is this okay?” At Optimus' nod, he reached a hand out. "May I touch it?"

"Certainly," Optimus gritted out.

Cade placed his hands gently on the glass in front of him, as though his feeble human strength could shatter it. He stroked gently along the smooth surface, surprised by how cool it was compared to the rest of Optimus. The soft touches made yet another fan rattle to life. Cade couldn't help but smile a little to himself. He hadn't done much of anything yet and Optimus seemed to be really worked up. He shifted his weight and was quickly made aware of the tightness in his pants. The realization of his blatant arousal made Cade’s hands falter a little and the ever-present flush on his face burn brighter.

The gentle caresses must have been something akin to teasing – Optimus let out an impatient rumble and insistently pressed Cade closer to his Spark. With most of his body pressed flush to the glass, Cade had little choice but to give the crystal more attention, which he was more than fine with. He eventually grew bolder and pressed his mouth against the glass alongside his hands. He would have smiled at the strangled groans he evoked from Optimus if his mouth wasn’t already occupied.

Optimus’ hand started to tremble, and his Spark started to shimmer brighter and brighter. He grunted out Cade’s name just as the crystal pulled away from his Spark, revealing it completely. The action forced Cade to step back for a moment, unsure about how to proceed, but the soft tendrils of the Spark reached out and twirled around Cade’s fingers encouragingly.

The instant the Spark’s energy made contact with his skin, Cade had an odd out-of-body experience. He both saw himself through Optimus’ optics and saw Optimus through his own eyes. He felt the weight of himself cradled in Optimus’ palm, as well as the tingle of Optimus’ spark against his fingers. Cade wiggled his fingers experimentally and, oh, _god_ , that was intense. It was far too much, and Optimus’ strangled moan made it clear that Cade needed to slow down a little bit. 

He was going to ask what Optimus wanted him to do, but when Cade began to speak Optimus curiously pressed a digit to the front of Cade’s jeans. He barely had time to muffle a loud cry, hiccupping in surprise and pleasure. Cade struggled to keep his hands from clenching too much, but his hips bucked forward entirely of their own accord. 

“Optimus, _what–_ ”

Thankfully, the fingertip lightened its pressure on his erection. “I hadn’t realized how much this encounter had affected you, Cade. My apologies,” Optimus said. His voice was nothing more than a static-laced grumble now, and the way he said Cade’s name nearly made the man’s knees buckle. 

“S-so is this a… t-two way connection? Or am I just imagining it?” Cade asked. He withdrew one hand and rested his head next to the Spark chamber, lazily grinding his hips against Optimus’ finger. 

“It is,” Optimus confirmed. “It is similar to how my kind bonds.”

“This is… really cool, but… it’s so hard to… focus on everything,” Cade said between breaths.

He wasn’t looking at Optimus, but through their connection he could just _feel_ the Prime smiling fondly at him.

“I know. You’ve held on long enough. Just let go, Cade,” Optimus said, increasing the pressure of his rubbing just perfectly. Cade spread his fingers wide in response, gently pulling the strands of Optimus’ Spark, and they fell apart together. 

In all his days, Cade had never experienced such an intense release. It seemed to drag on forever, an endless loop of pleasure, until finally it was over. His body felt boneless, and he flopped over into Optimus’ palm. 

He woke up a few minutes later, with Optimus watching him carefully. “Are you alright?” Optimus asked, his voice finally clearing of the static. 

Cade nodded. “Think so,” he said. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “M'gonna lose these pants, though. Gross.” 

After the sticky clothes were removed and replaced with a clean set, Cade stumbled over to where his sleeping area had been set up a few hours ago. He almost got settled, but just couldn’t find his blanket. 

Optimus merely transformed, propping open the passenger’s door to reveal the missing blanket. Cade smiled and climbed in the cab for the night. A warm, protective feeling settled over Cade like a second blanket. His stomach fluttered a bit when he realized that this was probably as close to cuddling as the two of them could get. Optimus’ engine began to hum quietly, lulling Cade gently to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fanfic in like 6 years, so I hope it wasn't too awful. I just couldn't help myself.... These two are so cute.
> 
> Special thanks to my best bud, benvoliotheorphan, for reading over this multiple times and helping out with the title :)


End file.
